Introduction: The Vikings are set to hire Kevin O'Connell, the Rams offensive coordinator, as their next head coach — ending a whirlwind process that included the emergence and disappearance of Jim Harbaugh as a presumed frontrunner. O'Connell is the type of coach the Vikings figured to hire when the process began — young, and on the offensive side of the ball — but the decision feels somewhat like a letdown after all that transpired, says host Michael Rand.
Did a very Vikings coaching search end in a letdown?
9:00: Chris Hine joins the show to discuss the Wolves' recent strong play of late — particularly from bench contributors — and to assess what the team might do before next week's trade deadline.
24:00: They played a freezing soccer game in St. Paul on Wednesday. The U.S. Men's National Team emerged with three key points in a 3-0 win over Honduras in World Cup qualifying, but was the extreme game really necessary?
27:00: As cold as that game was, the Wild offered the other extreme in Chicago. Minnesota cruised into the All-Star break with a 5-0 win over Chicago and sets up well for the final 41 games.
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Questions? Comments? Long-winded diatribes about nothing in particular? E-mail me at michael.rand@startribune.com. Follow me on Twitter @RandBall and Star Tribune sports @StribSports
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.